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2012-11-28
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I was in Macau last weekend, and my meal at Robuchon au Dôme was one of the highlights of my trip. Formerly known as Robuchon a Galera with three Michelin stars, the restaurant is now called Robuchon au Dôme and has been relocated to the top floor of Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau.Unlike the sleek, modern decor of some of its sister restaurants, Robuchon au Dôme‘s interior is luxurious and opulent, with a high glass dome ceiling and a giant crystal chandelier creating a dramatic effect. There was a
Unlike the sleek, modern decor of some of its sister restaurants, Robuchon au Dôme‘s interior is luxurious and opulent, with a high glass dome ceiling and a giant crystal chandelier creating a dramatic effect. There was a breathtaking panoramic view of Macau, but unfortunately it was rather cloudy on the day we went. Due to the popularity of the restaurant, we had to make a booking a month in advance, and only when we arrived did we realise why this restaurant was so popular – the lunch menu was an absolute bargain. There were 3 choices for lunch: MOP $458 for 2 courses with dessert, MOP $558 for 3 courses with dessert and $688 for a Full Menu. In addition to the set lunch, we also went for the wine pairing, at MOP $220 for 2 glasses of 75ml wine, and the French wines tasted wonderful.
(1) Many of my friends believe that L’atelier de Joel Robuchon in Hong Kong has the best bread in town, but it seems like their Macau sister restaurant is taking the art of bread to a whole new level. Instead of a pretty bread basket, we were presented with a giant bread trolley, which was one of the largest ones I have ever seen – they definitely knew how to impress customers! Visual effects aside, the bread tasted absolutely delicious. My favourites were the tomato focaccia and the bacon baguette.
(2) Our lovely amuse bouche, which consisted of pumpkin foam, egg white, ham, and ginger velouté, was wonderfully creamy and sensuous. The pumpkin foam and egg white were airy and delicate, while the ginger velouté was rich and had a perceptible, but not overwhelming, ginger taste. What impressed me the most was the silkiness of this amuse bouche and how all the different flavours held beautifully together. (3) The first appetiser which arrived was the Fresh crabmeat refreshed with cucumber jelly and spiced avocado, crunchy Piquillos tart. The crabmeat had a startlingly fresh taste and the soft and refreshing cucumber jelly was the perfect complement for it. Crab mousse, which was packed with flavours, sat on top of the crumbly, buttery base of the Piquillos tart. (4) It has never occurred to me how well foie gras would pair with mushrooms, until I tried the Slightly smoked foie gras and top of marinated mushroom with virgin olive oil. The foie gras was sliced into thin pieces and delicately curled up; the lightness of the marinated mushroom was exactly what was needed to complement the indulgent taste of foie gras. I could almost see fireworks in my head as I took my first bite! (5) Even though I have tried mussels in many countries, including in Belgium, the French mussels « marinières» with touch of cream and leek fondant perfumed with saffron was one of the most delicious mussels dishes I have ever tried. These medium-sized mussels tasted exquisitely fresh and were soft and supple. Just because this was such a seemingly simple dish, it completely exceeded our expectations. The cream and leek sauce had a lot of flavour and depth, but was not heavy or overly filling at all. (6) The Shellfish bisque spiced with Espelette pepper with scallop quenelle and crispy head was another accomplished dish, and the kitchen has managed to extract the best flavours out of the ingredients. The Shellfish bisque was light and smooth, and had a terrific taste of shellfish. The tiny shrimp heads, gorgeously deep fried, were moreish.
(7) The soothing green colour of the Frog’s leg fricassee, garlic and parsley in soft Spanish rice with sorrel butter cheered me up instantly, and the taste of it made me even happier! The frog’s leg was marvellously springy and delicious, and the soft Spanish rice was cooked to a perfect consistency and was impeccably seasoned. (8) The Roasted thick pork belly with creamy polenta, cepes-mustard condiment and endives salad was simply addictive and faultless. The roasted skin was excellently crispy, and the soft pork belly was hearty and satisfying. The creamy polenta was smooth and indulgent.
(9) The Pasta shell stuffed with lobster and cepes in Chateau Chalon broth with winkles and wild asparagus was another magnificent dish. A pile of delicious lobster meat hid underneath a large, al dente pasta shell, and the creamy broth was comforting and delicious. (10) Creamy, buttery mashed potato is one of the most amazing things you can ever have, and I was absolutely delighted that each main course came with a serving of Robuchon‘s eye cream-smooth mashed potato! (11) The last main course was the Crispy boneless veal head with aromatic garnish “ravigote” and black truffle sauce. The veal head was light and crispy on the outside, and was soft and tender on the inside. Awesome.
(12) A grand, ceremonial dessert trolley was brought to our table, and each person could choose two desserts from it. I tried the napoleon and the hazelnut chocolate pie, and both cakes were decadent, creamy and enjoyable. The only thing that could make the desserts even better was to serve them chilled (as they were at room temperature), but other than that I had no complaints. A lighter option was the fruit salad, and all the fruits were sweet and juicy. The yuzu pie, with a bright, citrus touch, was clean and refreshing, while the small banana cake was in just the right size and was aromatic and lovely.
(13) We also enjoyed a plate of fine cheeses, which we chose from the cheese trolley. Nothing could make me happier than the soft, melting texture of brie! (14) Lastly, a plate of petit fours – exquisite chocolates, and of course, macarons – came with our tea, coffee or hot chocolate, and ended our meal on a very pleasant and joyful note. Even though Michelin stars may not always be the most accurate indicator for the quality of a meal (there are, for example, many Michelin one-starred restaurants which are quite average), I have so far never been disappointed by restaurants which have attained a Michelin three-starred status – the service, atmosphere and food at these restaurants were impeccable. Robuchon au Dôme seems to have inherited all these qualities from its Michelin three-starred predecessor, Robuchon a Galera. In addition, Robuchon au Dôme offers something that not all Michelin restaurants can offer: a bill which will not make a dent in your wallet.
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